These Cups of Tea Almost Killed My Global Business

I have lived in many countries on three different continents, and I would be amiss to say that I really understand anything more about the human condition. It is a mystery why we sometimes do not understand each other. Some days I think I see what makes us all the same, and other days I shake my head at how different we can be. Nevertheless, it is a topic I find fascinating and one that I will keep researching for answers.

Do you understand me? Really?
Recently, after a frank, but pleasant conversation with a key employee in one of my companies in Asia, I received an email stating that, based on our conversation, he just did not think he could do the job. I was shocked. I thought the conversation was productive, good even. But he did not feel the same way. Because English is not the first language of this employee (we’ll call him Raj), I asked my husband who is a native speaker to call and speak to him on my behalf. After a few minutes of conversation there was head nodding and happy talk and all was better.

So what happened?
Many times something as subtle as the tone of your voice can be misunderstood by those who are not native speakers of your language. Couple this with the disconnect caused by a glitchy Skype call and lack of facial expression (because if the call is disconnecting on phone only, it is not going to work on video) and the stage is set for miscommunication.

That’s not all…
This is not the only time I have had a clash with Raj. Raj is a good guy, very likable, and I think most people would say I am a good boss, very fair. However, there have been times when there was clear tension between me and Raj (or others). I attribute this to a difference, again, in communication. There are things in my culture that are perfectly normal to say, that to Raj may sound too harsh. Raj comes from a culture where direct, forthright speech is not the order of the day. Rather, people smooth over things, do things slowly, and put a soft spin on any thing that may be negative. Whereas my Western work ethic has taught me being direct and forthright is normal and efficient, Raj’s culture has taught him that such speech is impolite and outside of the niceties of the norm.

You won’t know it until you blow it!
One day while on an important trek with Raj as trip leader, I walked into our kitchen tent and Raj kindly offered me some special tea. I didn’t really want the tea, but I said rather matter-of-factly, “Raj, why are we serving special tea with milk here in the kitchen to our staff, while our guests just got served do-it-yourself hot water and tea bags with powdered milk? I think the people who paid to be here deserve equally nice tea.”

Woah! I almost had a walk-out on my hands. Raj convinced the crew and porters that they were having none of it, and they would leave me and the others up on the mountain. I was stunned! Really? Over the tea comment?

But, yes, that very direct communication and the mention of the “paying clients” was a huge insult in a culture that highly values tea drinking and is acutely aware of the economic differences between themselves and foreign guests. Had I just taken the tea, and then maybe privately and “softly” eased into a conversation with Raj about serving better tea to the guests, the whole thing could have been avoided. Raj never looks mad, or acts mad, in fact he laughs all of the time. He will not say I do not like this or that, he will simply remove himself from the situation (which in this case would be his job).

Should you change or should they change?
The answer to this is easy. If you are the leader of an organization, and you are working in a foreign culture, it is your job to adapt. In fact you MUST adapt to survive. In the case of my company, Raj could not be a more mild mannered, pleasant employee, so if I can make him mad, then maybe I had been going around offending many without even knowing. I got lucky and learned a lesson, and had someone to help translate into the native language.

Adapt or die – It’s survival of the “flexible-est.”
When I was in university, I remember my wise International Business professor telling us about a Swiss company that opened a factory in Malaysia. They brought in their Swiss production manual, employee standards and time-tables. This major brand struggled for 2 years with their Malaysian factory trying to get the Malaysian staff to follow their rules and procedures, but it never worked. Before year 3, the factory was closed, the investment lost. They were back to exporting the product to Asia from their main location in Switzerland. They could not adapt – they did not survive.

You always need a trusted translator.
You do – even if your are fluent. I would say that this is often useful for any situation. How many times do you understand things differently than a third party? Consider your native-speaker translator an ombudsman who can make things clear and acceptable to both sides. This absolutely must be someone who understands both cultures, and who you can trust to express your true intentions. It’s not always easy to find someone like this. They must have near native fluency in both languages, and be able to communicate the directives of the leader in a way that gets the job done.

Bottom line.
Like any venture, operating in a foreign country is risky and rewarding. If you want to minimize the risk, spend time in the culture (more than just a few weeks of tourism) adapting to the norms. Ask yourself if the level of business ethics and communication (or lack thereof) is something you can adapt to and mold to your business model. Consider the concept of time and urgency in the culture – can you make your business work around that? Some cultures move more quickly than others; some cultures require a mid-day break for rest. Get a trusted business consultant who has no vested interest in your company who is native to the culture, and ask about the barriers to entry, the normal margins for your type of business, and employee issues in the industry. Find out about customs, equipment availability, and human resources for key roles like accounting, marketing, and legal. Do your due diligence, and then like all ventures, trust your guts and be willing to succeed!